Georgia DOT Statewide Broadband Operations, Maintenance, and Commercialization Project

The Georgia DOT Statewide Broadband project will see the installation of 1,400 miles of conduit and fiber broadband infrastructure along all interstates in Georgia. When completed, a portion of the network will be dedicated to  commercial customers large and small, from hyperscalers looking for high-capacity, straight line routes, to Fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) providers in local communities who need lightning-fast connectivity to other parts of the state. The GDOT fiber network routes intersect 70 of Georgia’s 159 counties, enabling faster, more secure, and reliable broadband access for communities, households and businesses.

The Operations, Maintenance and Commercialization (OMC) project involves a long-term partnership between Plenary Broadband Infrastructure (PBI) and Georgia DOT whereby PBI will maintain the broadband network infrastructure dedicated to Georgia DOT’s traffic operations and will also operate, maintain, and market the broadband network dedicated for commercial use. Additionally, PBI will provide payments to Georgia DOT based on the revenue generated from the commercialization of the network. This partnership between PBI and GDOT will enable PBI to help build network extensions to meet points outside the GDOT Right of Way (ROW)

Innovations

This innovative revenue-risk P3 model will allow Georgia DOT to leverage P3 risk-transfer and benefit from effective management and availability of its critical network and ITS assets, while at the same time establishing an ongoing revenue stream from the commercial value of fiber infrastructure installed within its right-of-way, offsetting the operating and maintenance costs to manage this network.

Local economic impacts

PBI’s commercial network will facilitate increased connectivity throughout Georgia, including establishing a robust, new network adjacent to unserved and underserved communities, effectively establishing an open access network with significant capacity and reach. PBI also plans to develop wireless network infrastructure that will facilitate emerging technologies and deliver economic benefits to the region. Existing and new businesses in proximity to the Project will have new options for network capacity to serve their rapidly evolving data and telecommunication needs.

Community benefits

Expanding broadband access throughout Georgia is critical to bridging the digital divide, ensuring that rural and underserved communities can access essential online services for education, healthcare, and economic opportunities. The project will also modernize GDOT transportation infrastructure, enabling innovations like connected vehicles and smart traffic systems to improve safety and efficiency.